Germany approves Macedonia’s accession to NATO

The German government has approved the accession of North Macedonia to NATO. This will make an important contribution to security in the Euro-Atlantic area, while also providing important impetus for the further stabilisation of the Western Balkans, the government says in a statement released Thursday, January 31.

“The scene has been set for the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to NATO. In February 2019, member states are to sign the accession protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty. The German government will work for the swift adoption of the protocol so that formal accession can take place before the end of the month.”

In terms of foreign policy, North Macedonia plays a constructive role in the Western Balkans. This became particularly clear in its readiness to agree to the change of name negotiated with Greece in June 2018 from Macedonia to North Macedonia. The background to the conflict was that the government and parliament in Athens refused to recognize the name Republic of Macedonia because a Greek province is also called Macedonia.

The accession of North Macedonia to NATO thus marks the resolution of over 25 years of conflict with Greece over the name of the new state.

“The accession will also mark a valuable contribution to the transatlantic community of values. In recent years, North Macedonia has ambitiously reformed its security sector and made major progress in the fields of the rule of law and democracy. The Macedonian government has committed to resolutely continuing the reforms already launched,” the Federal Government of Germany says in the statement.